We were just chatting on the deck under the stars, after an awesome sailing day and delicious dinner, when, suddently, we heard something like a loud snort coming from the water. We leant curiously out and there she was, a big beautiful turtle, floating quietly and unafraid near our boat.
The month of May is called by the Kuna indians “Yaugnii”, tourtle month in their language, and it’s exactly when you are most likely to see them. According to a Kuna fisherman, mating occurs on the water surface and, some weeks after, the sea turtles lay her eggs on the San Blas beaches. Turtles appear often in the Kuna artcrafts, such as mosaics and “molas” and can be found in their ancestral rites and ceremonies.
Next time you swim in San Blas, make sure to yield to the turtle, she may carry ‘valuable goods’ on her way to the beach…
